Successful Bum Showcase: Navigating
$2K+ Month!
Intro
In this edition of the Successful Bum Showcase series, I am proud to introduce “Navigating”.
Below, we’ll break down his journey and how he’s been able to be so successful.
Q&A With “Navigating”
1. Can you tell us a little about yourself and your previous experience with credit cards?
I'm a suburban Midwestern guy transplanted to the west, in my late 50s, married with a bunch of kids. Worked in tech sales for the last 30 years, enjoyed it and had some very prosperous years, but never really climbed the corporate ladder. So now I'm looking for a way to take care of my family for the next 20 to 30 years without being tied to an employer. I've done SUB chasing with both credit cards and bank accounts over the past 5 years or so, not in a focused or organized way but whenever I saw these deals come up I would grab them if I was eligible. Probably did about $2,500 in SUBs over the years, as well as tons of United Airlines points back when they were actually worth something.
2. Were there any misconceptions or apprehensions you had about the process initially?
My main hesitation was about manufactured spending. Understood the theory but didn't know whether it would actually play out. So started really slowly: rebate key, aligned incentives, then Chase business cards.
3. How did you discover BowTiedBum?
Heard about BTB on Twitter. Read a couple free articles, did the 7-day trial, then figured what the heck I've spent a worse $20 in my life. Never looked back
4. In what ways has the community helped or guide you in your journey?
Are there any specific tips or advice that you found particularly
useful?
The BTB slack community has been fantastic during the few months I've been participating. In the beginning it was figuring out the basics of MS, business cards, and how to keep it all the balls in the air without fumbling. Now it's good for alerts like Fluz card availability, and of course the amazing 15,000 point extra bonus on three Chase business cards. Always nice to get 450 dollars unexpectedly
5. What was your biggest "Oh shit, this is crazy" moment?
My biggest this is crazy moment was kind of subtle, after a couple months I started getting rewards that I forgot about or wasn't tracking: Rakuten, RetailMeNot, an upside referral bonus.
6. Can you share some of your biggest wins?
I'd say my biggest win was my first $2K month. I've been talking to my kids about BowTiedBum and they would see all the crazy evidence in our family Amazon account, like rebate key lipsticks shipping to Goodwills in Delaware, or ridiculous numbers of fire sticks and echo balls going to Oregon. They would laugh and make fun of me, saying that I was wasting my time, then one day I told my son that I expect to make over $2,000 that month from Bumming. The clownish teasing expression on his face instantly changed to shock and awe.
7. How long did it take to achieve these milestones?
I started slowly so it took about 3 months from my free trial to get above $1,000 a month. But it's been strong since then. Now that I'm transitioning to Amazon Arbitrage, it's a new game but based on solid bum principles
Any dream redemptions or experience you're working towards?
My dream is to start a self-sufficient Wi-Fi money business with varying degrees of bumming, eCom, FBA, independent consulting, and new stuff that I haven't tried yet. And to never have to go back to a corporate job where I grovel to bean counters and worry about getting laid off
Would you recommend that others join BowTiedBum?
I would recommend anyone to join BTB if and only if they are prepared to hustle. It's not a huge amount of time every day, but something you need to stay on top of and do regularly to maximize potential earnings. And if you're a person who has ever struggled with credit card debt, proceed with caution.
Disclaimer: None of this is to be deemed legal or financial advice of any kind.